You can find more information regarding this film on its IMDb page


This movie is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: Arthur Dreifuss
Producer: Arthur Dreifuss
Production Company: Colonnade Pictures Corporation
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w
Keywords:

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Jahlaune - - April 14, 2007
Subject: Don't dig this no kinda way
I dont know about any body else but this film was made in the late 1930s early forties. Me and My grandmother ( aged 83) who by the way says it played at the Apollo and she remembers it was kind of draggy then too and that cost her a whole dime! (lol)Aordingtoher and her memeory is sharp. She lived on Edgecombe ave at the time. Mamie Smith was like a has been by the time this movie was out. She was a grown woman when she made Crazy blues and it was old by the time my mother was a teen but mamie, was with the Moe Gale Agency and her and ralph Cooper ( the emee atthe Apollo were always making these boring movies that played the colored houses. Amzing I don know Im notimpressed I have seen better ( heard better singing too) We was watching it and even she stated that in her day they would catch the movie for the reording artists of the day. Like Nana Mae McKinney who made numerous shorts or a Duke Ellington short. In her words " I never heard no colored woman that talked like those pictures had em talking!" . But this film goes on and on and on worse than that movie Juke Joint. Besides there were many black entertainers in Oscar Micheuxs films who were great actors and entertainers ( think of Ethel Moses and lorezon tucker ) and also in a few of King Vidors All Negro movies that date back to 1927 and before! or 28 way before this! Halleuijah, had tons of black entertainers ( they are just obscure now) in it butI think alot of people now dont really know how entertainment worked inthose days so they only have what was reorded and remains. But the song waiting atthe end of the road was intdued in a fulllenghth movie tha talked in 29 Theres a extensive backlog from the studios in Astoria where they filmed most of these "do not play in the south" shorts. This is a full length movie but I just have to say its awful, Mamies ating is less than impressive but at lkeast its still around.But, by the date of the movie and the fact its publi property that just about sums it up. Iim no fan of her singing either she reorded the first blues that isnt a darn bloues at all.Its more vaudeville/pop than anything else. But she will go down in history for singing Lord, Lord, lord! Now Thats the Mamie Smith I love! I dont are for this it should be free and they should pay me for the eletriity I used to watch it. I star for effort

Reviewer: jimelena - - November 1, 2005
Subject: Mamie Smith
The reason to watch this movie is Mamie Smith who plays Hattie. Mamie was the first female to record the blues in the 1920s, "Crazy Blues" for Okeh records. She does not really cut loose in this movie but we do get to hear her wonderful voice. "Crazy Blues" is one the most important recordings for what was known as race records, it was heard on white radios and sold over 2 million copies.
So,watching this movie is watching American music history, sort of. Most early blues artists were never caught on film.
The film, while investigating crime a racketeering ring is discovered and lots of chaos ensues. Or something like that, it's not important.

Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - August 19, 2004
Subject: More Like Soap Opera on Lenox Avenue
From its title, you would think that this all-black cast movie was a murder mystery, but it isnÂt. ItÂs really more of a soap opera, with more subplots than you can shake a stick at, including several interlocking romantic triangles, and an unwed mother who kills herself, though the main story seems to be about an upstanding fellow who tries to eliminate graft from the Harlem Better Business Society. Although there are several rather stereotyped comic relief characters, and one of the bad guys is a really poorly-done hunchback, for the most part this has a realistic feel. And even though the plot is hard to figure out at times, it holds your interest for the most part. An interesting slice of African-American culture from the 40s.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: **. Weirdness: ****. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ***.